mostly works.

I’m convinced that writer/director Vaughn Stein is secretly the Riddler. His debut film, Terminal, is my only proof. Far from a bad movie – the strong acting and clever use of classic literature is certainly entertaining – this dark tale twists and turns a little more than it needs to.

Terminal’s story focuses on a few key characters and their interactions with a seemingly deranged waitress. A legendary underworld figure, Mr. Franklin, hires two assassins to take part in a high-profile hit. They aren’t given any details on the target, just a black briefcase with clues leading them to a contact with more information. To mull over the details in a quiet place, the pair of hit men take refuge in a rundown diner. Meanwhile, a grammar school teacher with a terminal illness wanders about a train station at night. His disposition is grim; he isn’t trying to catch a train in the normal sense. Before he can make good on his departure, the teacher’s solitude is invaded by an inquisitive janitor. Their brief chat about train schedules end with a suggestion: a nearby diner where the teacher could get some tea and possibly rethink his travel plans.

While recent trailers let on that this is a revenge story, it’s still difficult to explain the premise without spoiling some of the story. What I can say is that each character eventually ends up at the same diner. The reason for this is obscured by odd happenings and disjointed scenes; time doesn’t always move in a linear fashion here. It is obvious that none of these encounters were left up to chance though. Whether it be acts of violence or a peculiar conversation about suicide, it’s clear that these events were ushered along by hidden hands.

What we have is the set-up for a captivating crime drama. And for the most part, it works as intended. The eccentric personalities, especially that of Margot Robbie’s Annie (the aforementioned waitress), kept things interesting. Lengthy dialogue that initially felt misplaced eventually led to some sinister revelations. Comedic moments provide levity in the otherwise grim plot. It’s all entertaining; Vaughn Stein’s writing is competent to say the least. Unfortunately, his desire to deliver a mystery overcomplicates the story.

This is seen in two areas, the first being the inclusion of the hit men. I mean, aside from Vince (Dexter Fletcher) who’s schtick revolves around being a jerk to everyone he meets, they work well when paired together on screen. The problem is that neither of them is really needed in the grand scheme of things. Their entire story arc is a means to an end. And because their redundancy is only made apparent towards the end, large portions of the film feel like a waste of time. A sentiment that was seemingly shared by the hit men; one of them complains about being needlessly strung along, only to be met with a snarky “who says mystery’s a lost art”. Um…OK.

The other issue had to do with the final twist. A well-developed mystery film should have less obvious verbal/visible clues that may not be readily recognizable due to misdirection or subtlety. I’m not a fan of mystery dramas that conceal pertinent information or clues in scenes that do not actually take place on screen. Thankfully, Terminal is only partially guilty of this crime. There are plenty of nods to the film’s secretive theme. Everything from the names of places to the wording of certain phrases are used to walk the audience to a certain conclusion.

That said, most won’t be prepared for what’s shown towards the end. It won’t be because of some clever misdirection or the culmination of clues that shifts the narrative in an unexpected way. No, it’ll be because a decent portion of the plot was tucked away for later use. This type of writing hurts the overall experience, coming off as cheap – it’s easy to deliver a shocking turn when the audience is kept in the dark.

Like I said, I generally enjoyed Terminal. Vaughn Stein did a good job of world-building, even if the bright neon lights and vacant streets screamed Gotham. Which is somewhat ironic given Margot Robbie’s past portrayal of Harley Quinn – she’s found her niche in intelligent, yet manic characters who delight in their homicidal tendencies. Cold and calculating, this role trumps her comic book criminal thanks to a grounded performance and justifiable reasoning for the madness. I understand her goals. Simon Pegg and Mike Myers provided decent depictions of the sickly teacher and intrusive janitor, respectfully. I say decent, not as a criticism but as a realization that though they weren’t stretched as actors, they were still entertaining.

Terminal opens in theaters and is available On Demand/Digital HD May 11.

The Verdict

Terminal is an interesting revenge story that mostly works. There are a few missteps, namely a few wasted characters and a straight forward plot made needlessly complicated. Still, Vaughn Stein should be pleased with what’s here.